Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat
Phitsanulok, Thailand

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Temple of Phra Phuttha Chinarat

Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat is the Buddhist temple in Phitsanulok that houses one of the most reverred Buddha images in Thailand. That image, the Phra Phuttha Chinarat, was cast in bronze and then later gilded. It is an excellent example of late Sukhothai style of Buddha image. On either side of Phra Phuttha Chinarat are numerous smaller Buddha images.

The bot or assembly hall that houses the Phra Phuttha Chinarat has a three-tier roof which slopes down to almost head-height on either sides. The gleaming image of Phra Phuttha Chinarat, of which a copy is also made for Bangkok's Marble Temple, sits on the nave at the end of the hall. On either sizes of the Buddha are well-preserved wooden pulpits from the Ayuttha period. The larger pulpit is for monks who chant in Pali, while the smaller one is for a translator monk who interprets the chant into Thai.

Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat is also noted for its Khmer-style prang, or spire, which was built during the Ayutthaya period. Outside the temple are stalls selling religious paraphernalia, amulets and souvenirs. I remember having my lunch at a shopping centre close to the temple before paying it a visit. The price in small-town central Thailand was certainly much lower than in Bangkok.

Getting there

Phitsanulok is fifty kilometers (31 miles) east of Sukhothai. Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat is the only sight of interest here. To visit it, I would suggest that you hire a car with driver from Bangkok or Sukhothai, and explore Central Thailand on your own.

Tourist Information
TAT Office: 0-55252743